Who is council putting first? (From South Wales Argus)

It is the rogerstone residents who have lost a community owned greenfield, valuable amenity land in the wake of Alcan site proposal for outlining planning permission of at least 1200 houses. A stock answer of no comment by councillors was agreed if any residents asked questions about Bethesda field.Even now it is difficult to find out who is going to buy the field because Councillors say it is 'commercially sensitive'. Why? when the field is owned by the community. RCC kept the proposed sale quiet from residents as far back as Oct 2008 and even now during Council meetings, residents are hearing that the public & press are still being excluded from the discussions relating to Bethesda Field. There is a lack of information in the public domain to say that even a valuation has been carried out on the field,what the field is worth and what exact financial gain residents can expect from the sale. In Rogerstone Community Council October 2012 mins, The Chairman quoted the Council will work hard to earn the respect and trust of the people of Rogerstone on aspects of the way Bethesda Field was handled. The trust has gone its too late. If Councillors cant get a grip and be totally open then residents you should take control and really consider the future of the community council. has it become outdated and more dictatorial instead of democratic. No more precept tax to pay. As far as community owned land transferring back to NCC is concerned, well the community council have already shown they will sell your land without your knowledge so where's the difference!

disillusioned of Newport wrote:
It is the rogerstone residents who have lost a community owned greenfield, valuable amenity land in the wake of Alcan site proposal for outlining planning permission of at least 1200 houses. A stock answer of no comment by councillors was agreed if any residents asked questions about Bethesda field.Even now it is difficult to find out who is going to buy the field because Councillors say it is 'commercially sensitive'. Why? when the field is owned by the community. RCC kept the proposed sale quiet from residents as far back as Oct 2008 and even now during Council meetings, residents are hearing that the public & press are still being excluded from the discussions relating to Bethesda Field. There is a lack of information in the public domain to say that even a valuation has been carried out on the field,what the field is worth and what exact financial gain residents can expect from the sale. In Rogerstone Community Council October 2012 mins, The Chairman quoted the Council will work hard to earn the respect and trust of the people of Rogerstone on aspects of the way Bethesda Field was handled. The trust has gone its too late. If Councillors cant get a grip and be totally open then residents you should take control and really consider the future of the community council. has it become outdated and more dictatorial instead of democratic. No more precept tax to pay. As far as community owned land transferring back to NCC is concerned, well the community council have already shown they will sell your land without your knowledge so where's the difference!

Maybe the residents should consider voting to abolish the Community Council, Dunvant Community Council in Swansea was abolished in 2006. Not sure how it works but from what I have been told about Rogerstone cc I think I would question the reasons for it to continue.